Many REALLY BRIGHT kids STRUGGLE UNEXPECTEDLY to learn to READ and WRITE. 

Often, this is due to undiagnosed memory, retrieval, processing, and/or directionality issues. 

Because these kids are so smart, however, many teachers and parents often think that their kids are just "not trying hard enough" or that they are "being lazy".  Many often think it's just a "developmental issue" and that they will get it with "more time" and "more practice".

But "more time" and "more practice" only works if the right foundation has been laid.  No amount of extra time or practice will help a dyslexic child learn to read and write well if the base skills are still missing and not being filled in adequately.

And while these skills are missing and not being filled in, undiagnosed dyslexics who aren't getting the help they need often SUFFER emotionally from constant:

FRUSTRATION-- Seeing other kids quickly grasp how to read and write while they just can't seem to make sense of it all

DIFFICULTIES-- Struggling no matter how hard they work or try

NERVES-- Feeling anxious and scared every time a new skill is introduced or a test is given because they have no idea if it will be something that will end up being extremely hard or easy for them

DISCOURAGEMENT-- Feeling like they'll never get it, never be as smart as their peers

FEAR-- Afraid someone will find out how "stupid" they really are, afraid that their weaknesses will be exposed in front of their friends and classmates, afraid that they'll fail and/or be retained, afraid that they will disappoint their teachers and loved ones, afraid that people working with them will get mad at them when they don't know the answer...AGAIN

SELF-DOUBT-- Doubting  that they'll ever really "get it" or measure up

WORRY-- Worried that they'll get in trouble for not knowing something they once knew or that was just explained, worried that they won't be able to do what they are being asked to do, worried that they will FAIL (expecially publicly)

CHALLENGES-- Constantly facing new challenges and having to work harder than their peers just to keep up

DESPAIR-- Feeling hopeless and frustrated because no matter how hard they try, it just doesn't get any easier

BAD HABITS-- Guessing words, writing the least amount possible, giving up, throwing tantrums, lashing out, not paying attention

DISTRACTIONS-- Getting distracted by noises around them, movement, etc.

FAILURE-- Constantly not meeting other peoples' expectations, no matter how hard they try; receiving failing grades for tests and quizzes that they studied really hard for but just couldn't remember the information for

LIMITS-- Being told that they "can't check out THAT book" or be in THAT reading group

ANXIETY-- Nervousness over what's to come.  More failure???  Embarrassment???  Difficulties???  Confusion??? 

RESISTANCE-- Wanting to avoid school and schoolwork because it's hard

OBSTACLES-- Having to work around memory, retrieval, processing, and directionality issues

STRUGGLES-- Having to learn to persevere despite constant struggles...

Dyslexia doesn't go away when a child learns to read and write, but learning to read and write certainly helps.  If your child is struggling to learn to read and write, don't give up! 

Find a program that will work for your child. 

If you haven't found one yet, stay tuned! 

BLACK BELT READING is coming!  It is backed up by science and, better yet, it is backed up by RESULTS!  We are helping kids BUST THROUGH DYSLEXIA, one reader at a time!

Contact me privately if you can't wait for the official launch, and I will consider you for our beta program! Email me at [email protected] with the Subject Title: Blackbelt Reading -- Please help me teach my child to read!

An open letter to teachers of students struggling to learn to read.  *Names have been taken out to protect those involved!
 
Dear Teacher,
 
(My student’s) mother asked me to write to you to explain why I don’t want you to do the sight word intervention with (her child).  Hope this email helps to clear things up.  If you have further questions, however, feel free to contact me.
 
To make a long story short, I work with kids who tend to have speech, memory, processing, directionality, and/or retrieval issues.  Although many of these kids are never officially diagnosed, they often have dyslexia or other specific learning disabilities.  When they come to me, most are in the habit of miscalling words, saying such things as “the” for “this”, “a” for “I”, “we” for “he”, “have” for “has”, “can” for “and”, etc.  Because of their visual processing issues and poor memories, they just can’t keep similar-looking words straight.  As they get older, they continue to make these switches and many others…until they are taught to read from left to right, looking for “tricks” (digraphs, diphthongs, etc) as they go.  Unfortunately, even after they have worked very hard to correct the problem, kids like these who were encouraged to learn sight words before they were actually taught how to read words often struggle with inadvertent word switches like these forever, frequently calling out similar-looking words instead of the correct ones whenever they stop paying very close attention to the letter order.  As you can probably imagine, this tends to affect their comprehension and enjoyment of reading.  We are trying to prevent this from happening to (my student).
 
When (my student) first came to me, he did not know most of his letters and sounds.  He didn’t attempt to read any words.  He had severe speech issues as well.  I had to teach him how to make the sounds the letters made as well as help him to remember each one.  Then I worked on teaching him to blend sounds together.  He has been progressing very nicely ever since…except when he tries to just “magically” know the word without sounding it out.  Then he starts getting the words all mixed up.  When I see this happening with my students, I always caution parents to stop working on sight words with their kids because I don’t want them to mistrain their brains and create a habit that is nearly impossible to break completely.
 
I can always tell when someone is working on sight words with my students (or encouraging to “figure out words through context”) because my students go from sounding everything out to “guess reading,” where they just try to “know” words instead of figuring them out.  Every time (my student) starts to do this, his reading goes downhill.  For example, one day, instead of reading, “He has a rash on his leg.”, (my student) read, “We have a rash on him leg.”  He switched “in” and “on” in another sentence.  I had to remind him to go back to reading not “guessing”.  Once I got him sounding out the words again, he began to read the words correctly again. 
 
In short, kids who show that they struggle to keep the sight words straight should not be taught to read through “sight word practice”.  Being asked to look at words and say them quickly upon seeing them miswires their brains and causes long-lasting damage to their fragile reading skills.  I have seen it happen time and time again over my last two decades of teaching.  I’d hate for it to happen to (my student) as well.  I’m sure that you would, too.
 
I can assure you that we will be working on the words on your lists as they fit in with whatever “trick” I am teaching (my student).  That way he can continue to build the good habit of looking at words from left to right to read them rather than very quickly looking “at” them, which often causes him to confuse similar-looking words.  As we go over more and more “tricks”, you should find that (my student) will be able to read more and more.  Eventually, he should be able to read well above his expected level.  His speech should improve as well.
 
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.  This is a cause near and dear to my heart.  Together we can help students like (my student) learn to read and write successfully.  That’s what it’s all about.
 
All my best,
Katy Huller
 
www.KidsCanReadandWrite.com
​

Have a really smart kid struggling to learn to read and write?  It could be due to dyslexia. (Scroll to the bottom for free checklist.)

Dyslexia is generally characterized as an inability to read and write at grade level despite average to above-average intelligence and a decent upbringing/education.  Spelling, writing, listening, speaking, and memory skills may also be impacted.  Directionality is another common weakness, often leading to seeing and/or writing letters backwards, having trouble with mirror imaging, experiencing difficulty with left/right distinction, and encountering perpetual challenges finding one's way around new buildings, places, etc, particularly when multiple turns and/or nondescript hallways are involved.

Dyslexia is often accompanied by ADD/ADHD, and is thought to be genetic.  Unfortunately, true dyslexia is not something that will go away.  It is a persistent, lifelong problem with memory, retrieval, processing, and/or directionality issues that ranges from mild to severe.  Because every dyslexic is different, your child might only have one area of weakness or many.  There is no "one size fits all" diagnosis.  One dyslexic might have a terrific memory and quick retrieval but be riddled with processing and directionality issues, while another might have both a horrible memory and  persistent retrieval issues, but few processing and/or directionality issues. Others might have difficulty in ALL areas.  Furthermore, some kids might just have slight issues in certain areas, while others have much more severe ones.

Early warning signs of dyslexia frequently include such things as trouble learning the alphabet, writing letters backwards, struggling to recognize "sight words," having trouble learning to tie shoes, misspeaking one word for another (tornado-->tomato, dishwasher-->washing machine), and experiencing difficulty pronouncing multi-syllable words (spaghetti-->psghetti, animal-->aminal).  Many dyslexic kids also tend to have trouble hearing rhymes, finding their way around, writing neatly, and coming up with certain words they know but can't quite get hold of in the minute.  You might hear them say things like, "You know...that THING..."  Generally, they can see whatever it is they are trying to say in their minds; they just can't quite retrieve the word in that particular moment. 

Another frustrating thing that many dyslexics have to deal with is forgetting what they have "learned."  Despite knowing something really well one moment or day, they might seem completely oblivious to it the next.  "But you KNOW this," you might hear yourself saying.  But they don't.  At least not in that moment.  It might come back later.  Or it might really be gone.  Oftentimes, dyslexics' minds are like sand sifters, allowing whatever gets placed within to slowly sift back out. In this case, the dyslexic must relearn the information to know it again, or at least be reminded of the information so that his or her memory can be jogged.  Many dyslexics resort to constant note taking and/or list making to make up for this in later years.

The good news?  Kids with dyslexia CAN learn to read and write.  They simply must be taught in a way that their brains understand.  This requires that they understand WHY words say what they say so they can use their main strength (dynamic reasoning skills) to figure out what their brains can't remember and/or see accurately upon first sight.  Systematic, explicit, sequential, high-quality instruction in phonics, accompanied by consistent, meaningful, real-world practice can help dyslexic kids make tremendous gains, often enabling them to catch back up with their peers and read on or even above grade level. 

Keep in mind that dyslexia has nothing to do with actual intelligence.  Dyslexic kids can be super-smart, even GIFTED.  Dyslexia is a processing/memory issue that impacts the WAY a person learns and/or processes information, not WHAT they can learn and/or process.  The thinking part of the brain is unaffected.  In fact, dyslexics are often superior when it comes to dynamic reasoning, seeing the "big picture," interpersonal skills, narrative reasoning, solving puzzles/problems, artistic endeavors, three-dimensional thinking, and leadership skills.  While certain tasks may be more difficult for dyslexics to master quickly, particularly school tasks which often require rote memorization and quick retrieval, others will come much easier for dyslexics and allow for them to shine.

If your child is struggling to learn to read and/or write, look for a quality tutoring program and get help ASAP.  If your child needs certain accommodations to perform well in school, get the testing required done to enable this.  For best results, look for a certified dyslexia testing specialist in your area.  Early intervention and a proper diagnosis can help your child not only succeed, but thrive.

All the best and much success,
Katy Huller

Author of Kinders Can! READ and WRITE!, Get Your Kids READING and WRITING! 2 and 3 Letter Words!, Tricks Practice Cards, More Tricks Practice Cards, and Alphabasics!

To read more literacy posts by Katy Huller, click HERE!

“I’m so STUPID!” -- three heartbreaking words you never want to hear your kids say.  Yet, if your kids struggle in school, you are likely to hear these horrific words come out on more than one occasion as they mentally (and often physically) chastise themselves for forgetting something that they feel as if they should already know.

The truth is that many of these struggling kids are anything but stupid.  In fact, many are actually GIFTED.  They are just dyslexic. 

Often, these are kids with incredible acting skills…storytelling skills…survival skills…intrapersonal skills…athletic skills…math skills…musical skills…art skills…building skills...mechanical skills...and so much more.  These are kids who absolutely SHINE in so many other areas…who are bright, capable, fun, inquisitive, hard-working, talented, and personable…but who are also suffering from memory, retrieval, and directional issues, among others. 

Because of their dyslexic tendencies, many of these kids have a really difficult time learning to read, remembering irregular (and even regular) spelling patterns, writing letters correctly, and memorizing just about any random facts or figures (especially math facts).  They can also have trouble quickly retrieving what they do know, making timed tests a virtual nightmare.  To make matters worse, what they finally manage to “master” one day is often quickly forgotten by the next.  As a result, they soon discover that they must continuously practice/review any random facts, methods, or processes they wish to retain.  Otherwise, their “neat-freak memory banks” will deem it "useless information" and quickly release it once more. 

To get an idea of what it's like to be dyslexic and have retention and/or retrieval issues, imagine having everything you ever put on your computer, tablet, or phone quickly relegated to the recycle bin and then erased permanently if you didn't bother to look at it for a couple of days.  All of your pictures.  Emails.  Texts.  Calendar events.  Notes.  Games.  Addresses.  Everything.  This is what it’s like for many dyslexics.  Every new process is a bit slower because they have to go through an additional step (the recycle bin) to get to it.  And what they don’t continue to use (or attach to a special memory), they lose, often within days of successfully acquiring it.  They know this.  And they know that most of their peers and loved ones don't have to deal with this.  And so they make the horrific and life-altering conclusion that loving parents and caring teachers cringe violently in response to – “I’m so STUPID.”

“You are certainly NOT stupid,” I quickly responded to the last child I heard mutter this.  (He was frustrated over continuing to misspell the same three letter word over and over again as he worked on writing a story.)  “You know how to fix things, build forts, hunt for food, take care of farm animals, play baseball, tell funny stories, read, make friends, etc.  You can do SO MANY things!  Writing, particularly spelling, may not come easily to you, but that does not make you stupid.  EVERYONE has stuff they have to work harder at than others.  This is just your thing to work at.”

He smiled at this news and went back to working on his story.

But I'd be lying if I said my heart didn't break for him.  With at least 9 more years of school ahead of him, he will have many struggles still to come.  He will be constantly asked to do all of the things that are most difficult for him -- write complete sentences and essays to prove he has mastered the information taught, memorize random facts in multiple subjects, spit back information quickly and accurately with time constraints in place, etc.  As he does so, he will have to continuously battle the voice in his head that has already started whispering and nagging (when it's not screaming)..."I'm so STUPID!"

If you are working with a dyslexic child, let him or her know that he or she is NOT stupid.  Remember to praise his or her strengths as well as to acknowledge and help him or her with his or her weaknesses.  Don’t let difficulty with school, particularly with memorization, ruin him or her.  Teach him or her how to work hard for what he or she wants and to come up with ways to compensate for his or her particular weaknesses.  Let him or her know that he or she is not alone and that you will do everything you can to help him or her on his or her journey.  Pledge to be supportive and patient, loving and kind, and, most of all, unrelenting in your belief in him or her and your expectations for him or her.  Show up to school meetings, insist upon the accommodations your child needs, and refuse to let your child fall through the cracks.

Dyslexics can be extremely high achievers despite the difficulties that they face.  Just look at Henry Winkler, Jennifer Aniston, William Hewlett, Charles Schwab, Leonardo da Vinci, John Lennon, Henry Ford, Agatha Christie, Albert Einstein, and Thomas Edison. No one would dare to call them “stupid”…at least not anymore!

Wishing you all the best and much success,
Katy Huller

Author of Kinders Can! READ and WRITE!, Get Your Kids READING and WRITING! 2 and 3 Letter Words!, Tricks Practice Cards, More Tricks Practice Cards, and Alphabasics!

To read more literacy posts by Katy Huller, click HERE!

Are your kids driving you CRAZY during homework time?  Are they staring out the window... hopping out of their chairs... complaining... crying... fighting... singing... dancing... talking... or entertaining themselves with whatever they can get their hands on???  Do you find yourself exasperated... STRESSED OUT... and struggling to keep control???  If so, it's time to step in and end the afternoon drama once and for all.  Below are some tips to help you...and your kids!

1. Find a quiet place for your kids to work.  Some kids simply can't focus when there are other noises around.  This can include noises nearby, in the next room, or even outside.  Set up camp in the quietest room you can find, and eliminate any extra noise during homework time.  Make your kids' homework time "quiet time" for the whole family, if necessary.  Let any neighborhood kids know not to come around during that time as well!

2.  Clear off the work table and empty room of distractions.  Kids who are easily distracted need to be seated at a table free from clutter and temptations.  Ideally, you don't want anything to be within reach (or view) of your kids except for the materials needed to complete their current assignments.  The room and/or rooms you choose should be as neat, orderly, and temptation-free as possible.   Remove toys, close blinds, have your kids face a boring wall,  etc.  The only thing you want to catch your kids' eyes during homework time is the assignment at hand!

2. Add purpose!  Explain the importance of the work at hand so your kids understand why they are doing it and what it will do for them. You want your kids to see the work as beneficial rather than a punishment of sorts.  Get your kids excited about learning something new and/or getting even better at something they already know but have been asked to practice.  Talk about learning and homework EXCITEDLY, as if they are GOOD things!

3. Take away fear!  Reassure your kids that you will help as needed...and follow through on this promise.  Make sure you don't belittle your kids by saying things like, “You KNOW this!” or “I can’t believe you forgot this!”  Even if your kids did know it, just go back over it until they remember it again.  Many kids have memory and/or retrieval issues which cause them to forget things easily.  By taking time to calmly reexplain whatever they have forgotten, you will be adding trust and building up your relationship. You will also be making future assignments a little less scary!  If you find you can't calmly help for whatever reason, think about hiring a tutor or asking another adult to step in.

4. Break up long assignments.  Some kids FREAK OUT over a page full of sentences to read, math problems to solve, etc.!  If your kids get easily overwhelmed, break up long assignments into more manageable parts.  Cover up all but the section your kids are working on, and offer quick mini-breaks as each section is completed. You might let your kids play a quick game of tic-tac-toe, run around the yard, shoot 3 baskets, etc.

5. Set behavior goals BEFORE you begin!  Discuss what you expect from your kids BEFORE they have a chance to misbehave!  Have them help you come up with a list of rules, rewards, and consequences, and STICK TO THEM!  Use a behavior chart to help keep track of good/bad behaviors, and make sure you FOLLOW THROUGH with the appropriate rewards and/or consequences...EVERY TIME!   If your kids know they can delay homework time, get it reduced, get you to do it for them, etc, they will be sure to hassle you until you give in and do what they desire!  Take control of the situation and remember that YOU are the parent!  Set the rules, stay calm, and remain firm but pleasant when it comes to enforcing them.  Let your kids know that they are the ones deciding their fate.  They can comply with the rules and earn rewards...or challenge the rules and earn consequences.  Their choice.  You are just there to enforce what you have already agreed to!

6. Play “Beat the Timer!”  If your kids just can't seem to stop talking, playing, complaining, etc., grab a timer and see if your kids can get their work done before it goes off!  Praise whoever gets the most done and consider offering a reward!  This technique can really help competitive kids who have trouble staying focused get busy!

7. Find the best work time for YOUR child!  Some kids work best first thing in the morning or immediately after school.  Others work best after having a snack or completing a physical activity of some sort.  Get to know when your kids do their best work and plan accordingly!

Life is too short to spend your child rearing years being CRAZY!  Follow the steps above UNTIL THEY WORK!  Be PATIENT -- change doesn't always happen overnight.  The more CONSISTENT you are, the sooner your sanity should be restored.  And remember -- your kids may not retain everything they learn during these homework sessions, but they are SURE TO REMEMBER how you made them FEEL during them!

All the best and much success,
Katy Huller

Author of Kinders Can! READ and WRITE!, Get Your Kids READING and WRITING! 2 and 3 Letter Words!, Tricks Practice Cards, and Alphabasics!

Worried about how many words per minute your child can read?  Don't be.  That's really not the most important thing when deciding how good of a reader your child is (or isn't).  While a basic level of fluency is important, reading a "zillion words per minute" is not.  Just as some kids will run faster than others, eat faster than others, and make friends faster than others, some kids will READ faster than others.  It's really not that big of a deal.  What IS a big deal is whether or not your child can read ACCURATELY as well as whether or not your child can UNDERSTAND what he or she is reading.  If your child is having trouble in either of these two areas, you need to jump in and help him or her right away!

Tips for Improving Accuracy:

1.  Make sure your child is looking all the way through words, from the very first letter to the very last one.  A lot of kids who misread words tend to look at the words as a whole rather than at their individual parts, from left to right.  Oftentimes, this will lead to their calling out a similar-looking word rather than the right one.  You might hear your child say, "very" instead of "every," "handed" instead of "handled," or "commented" instead of "complimented."  If your child is making mistakes like these, slow him or her down and have have him or her carefully sound out any miscalled words.  If needed, cover up all but one part at a time until your child gets through the whole word.  If the problem doesn't resolve itself with your help, you might consider getting your child's eyes checked for convergence issues as well.

2.  Make sure your child knows how to sound out words effectively.  Just because your child can read a bunch of words doesn't mean your child understands how to read.  Unfortunately, many kids who have been asked to learn one "sight word" list after another have simply acquired a bunch of "sight words" over the years.  These kids can read what they can read, but often struggle with anything beyond what they have managed to memorize.  If your child falls into this category, you will have to teach him or her how to look at a word, break it up into smaller parts, and figure out what it says.  Otherwise, asking him or her to sound out a word will be fruitless.

3.  Make sure your child knows the "tricks."  Even if your child understands how to break up a word, sound it out one part at a time, and blend it back together efficiently, he or she can STILL struggle to do so if he or she isn't aware of the many "tricks" in the English language.  What are "tricks?"  Tricks are letters and/or letter combinations that create new sounds when they appear together or in certain positions in words -- sh, ch, th, ar, er, oo, ook, ou, ow, a endings, ed endings, and tion are just a few examples.  For a much more comprehensive list of "tricks" (as well as practice words that contain them), click HERE!  It's crucial that your child become aware of each "trick" on the list if he or she isn't already.

4.  Make sure your child is reading for understanding.  If your child is reading for understanding, he or she should be able to catch many of his or her own errors.  After all, when you miscall a word, it usually doesn't make much sense!  Urge your child to pay close attention to what he or she is reading.  Tell him or her to reread any sentences that don't seem right.   

5.  Make sure your child gets enough PRACTICE reading books of ALL SORTS out loud TO YOU!  For your child to become good at reading all sorts of new words accurately and confidently, he or she will need to get a lot of practice doing so!  Make sure you sit with your child and have him or her read aloud to you as often as possible.  Look at the words as your child reads to make sure he or she is reading the words correctly.  Gently redirect your child when a mistake is made.  This will help keep him or her from incorrectly memorizing that word as something else!  Also, while there is nothing wrong with rereading favorite books on occasion, it's important that you make sure your child is reading lots of new, unfamiliar books during this time as well.  Otherwise, your child will only become familiar with certain words and certain topics.  For best results, vary what your child reads and expose him or her to as many types of literature as possible.  Increase the difficulty as you do so!


Tips for Improving Understanding:

1.  Ask your child to make a "mental movie" of what he or she is reading!  Children who can read the words accurately but who aren't understanding what they are reading often struggle because they are "reading but not thinking."  By asking them to make a "mental movie" out of what they are reading, you can often get their attention on the words and help them to plug into the meaning more effectively.

2.  Make sure your child is starting with the title!  Many of the kids who have come to me for reading help initially skip right over the title when asked to read a story or passage.  If your child is doing this, remind him or her to start with the title and think about it for a second.  It can give your child a "heads up" about what to expect.

3.  Make sure your child is STOPPING at periods, PAUSING at commas, and PAYING ATTENTION to all of the other little symbols that come up!  Flying through punctuation marks can have extremely detrimental affects on one's ability to comprehend what is being read.  Make sure your child understands what each mark means and uses it to correctly read the sentence at hand.

4. If your child is flying through the text, tell him or her to S-L-O-W down!  Although some kids can fly through text and still understand every word of it, others need to read it much more slowly and methodically to fully digest what it says.  If this seems to be the case with your child, slow him or her down and remind him or her that it's more important to understand what he or she is reading than to read it at super-fast speeds!

5.  Make sure your child has the background knowledge and/or vocabulary necessary to understand the story and/or passage at hand.  If your child is reading a story and/or passage about the Civil War, but has no idea what the Civil War was, what "north" and "south" are referring to, and/or what life was like during that time period, he or she is likely to struggle to understand what he or she is really reading about.  To help with this, talk to your child as much as possible about EVERYTHING you can.  Make sure you discuss topics you see coming home from school as well.  The more your child knows about history and the world around him or her, the better he or she is likely to do when it comes to comprehending texts of all sorts.  I really can't emphasize this enough -- TALK, TALK, TALK to your kids about EVERYTHING you know about and/or run into!!!  Make sure your kids are acquiring lots of new vocabulary and background knowledge each and every day!

When your child is able to read through a passage and understand it, your child is a "good reader."  Don't be fooled by numbers, grades, or anything else!  Speed will come with practice.  At least for most kids.  If it doesn't with your child, don't worry.  Just make sure he or she can read the text, understand the text, and, hopefully, ENJOY the text.  That's what's really important!  

All the best and much success,
Katy Huller

Author of Kinders Can! READ and WRITE!, Get Your Kids READING and WRITING! 2 and 3 Letter Words!, Tricks Practice Cards, and Alphabasics!

To read more literacy posts by Katy Huller, click HERE!